Members crappieslayer Posted June 10, 2011 Members Posted June 10, 2011 Hello fellow fisherman. I've got a Ranger Reatta that the starting battery goes dead if it sits for a couple weeks. I'm not sure what could be drawing that battery down, the battery is brand new too. It did it with the old battery also. I'm sure there is a way to put a tester on the wires to see what is drawing...right? Has anyone had this problem before?...and maybe have some advice what to check first? I'm not the most mechanically inclined person in the world, but can figure it out if pointed in right direction. I suppose I could go buy some kind of disconnect too, and install? Any thoughts, ideas, answers would be awesome! Thanks everyone!
rps Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Is there a master off switch you are forgetting/don't know about? A panel switch to something that doesn't work (lights, bilge pump, etc.) accidentally on? Try unhooking the battery when you leave it and see if it still discharges.
Gary Lange Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 Take it to HydroTec Performance Marine in Nixa and Wayne and the boys will fix it for you and it won't drive you crazy and take as much time to find. HydroTec Performance Marnie 865 Enterprise Lane Nixa, Mo. 417-725-5746 Respect your Environment and others right to use it!
johnm Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 I'm an electrician, my two cents...(my father-in-law is a master electrician) Like you said something is drawing it dead, sounds like slowly. I would turn every thing off and check to see if any lights, pumps, etc are on and if not. Go to your fuse Block and pull your fuses one at a time, testing the load side to see which one is drawing energy. If you end up not being able to find the problem you most likely have a short somewhere. Then I would consider a main breaker, disconnect. That wouldn't be too uncommon, I have a ranger comanche and it has a main breaker too. My two cents good luck!
Nitroman Posted June 10, 2011 Posted June 10, 2011 1) Remove all cables / wires from NEGATIVE BATTERY POST. 2) Connect alligator clip from 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT / CIRCUIT TESTER ( SHOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE @ ANY AUTO PARTS STORE ) to all cables / wires that you removed from NEGATIVE BATTERY POST, touch the probe-end ( POINTED END ) to the NEGATIVE BATTERY POST. If the test light bulb lights you have a " CONSTANT 12 VOLT DRAW " on your battery & that will draw down & kill the battery. If the test light bulb does not light you have some other type of problem. 3) To find the " CONSTANT 12 VOLT DRAW " begin by pulling fuses ( ANY & ALL FUSES ) 1 @ a time checking the test light bulb after you remove each fuse, if the test light bulb shuts off you have found the circuit that is causing your problem. The procedure is: pull the fuse, check the light bulb, bulb still on, go to the next fuse. Anything in the circuit could be the problem, switch, wiring, relay, device ( electric motor ) etc. Disconnect circuit components 1 @ a time till the test light bulb shuts off, when it does you have isolated the problem component. 4) If you pull all the fuses & the test light bulb fails to shut off your next step is to: remove 1 wire @ a time from the alligator clip of the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT & check the test light bulb after you remove each wire. If & / or when the test light bulb shuts off you have found the problem, trace the wire to it's source, your faulty component. If the test light bulb is still on after all the fuses have been pulled & all the wires @ the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT alligator clip have been removed ( ALL THAT REMAINS CONNECTED TO THE 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT ALLIGATOR CLIP IS THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE ) you have a component with a direct connection to the battery that is @ fault ie. IGNITION SWITCH, ALTERNATOR, STARTER, ENGINE ECU, RELAY, etc. How do you find the problem, start disconnecting things 1 @ a time till the test light bulb shuts off. HOPE THIS HELPS & GOOD LUCK !!!!!!! PS: DO NOT USE A CONTINUITY TESTER TO PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE. They look like a 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT but are not designed to perform this type of test. A DVOM with a LOW SCALE 12 / 20 VOLT DC VOLTAGE setting could be used in place of the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT by connecting the DVOM negative ( BLACK ) lead to the wires / cables removed from the battery negative post & connecting the DVOM positive ( RED ) lead to the battery negative post. Using a DVOM can get confusing due to varying voltage readings from circuit to circuit so I will stop here. Rock View Resort Table Rock Lake Greg Pope, Owner/Operator & Fishing Guide
skeeter Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 Could also be something as simple as dirt on the top surface of your battery allowing current to feed from positive to negative posts. Try wiping the battery clean first if you find it dirty and then the other excellent suggestions on this board. Also could be that if the battery is getting old and weak, most modern Outboards will constantly draw a few microvolts from their starter battery to feed the on-board computer they are all equipped with. Over time, that constant drain can mess up a weak battery. Only way to avoid it is a master shut off. Perko makes them.
Gone Fishing Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 If you have installed a GPS unit and wired it direct and not to a shut off switch the GPS antenna will keep running even when you turn the boat off. Just a thought.
Martin Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 I've seen many guys go thru this....Gone Fishing hit the nail on the head, possibly...If you have a GPS or a GPS on your depthfinder, the GPS antenna will draw your battery down over a few days....IF that is a possiblility, (you do have a GPS), just wire in a switch in the powerwire on the antenna....You still have to remember to turn it off after fishing though...lol
Members Falcon Posted June 11, 2011 Members Posted June 11, 2011 If you have installed a GPS unit and wired it direct and not to a shut off switch the GPS antenna will keep running even when you turn the boat off. Just a thought. +1
Wayne SW/MO Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 1) Remove all cables / wires from NEGATIVE BATTERY POST. 2) Connect alligator clip from 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT / CIRCUIT TESTER ( SHOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE @ ANY AUTO PARTS STORE ) to all cables / wires that you removed from NEGATIVE BATTERY POST, touch the probe-end ( POINTED END ) to the NEGATIVE BATTERY POST. If the test light bulb lights you have a " CONSTANT 12 VOLT DRAW " on your battery & that will draw down & kill the battery. If the test light bulb does not light you have some other type of problem. 3) To find the " CONSTANT 12 VOLT DRAW " begin by pulling fuses ( ANY & ALL FUSES ) 1 @ a time checking the test light bulb after you remove each fuse, if the test light bulb shuts off you have found the circuit that is causing your problem. The procedure is: pull the fuse, check the light bulb, bulb still on, go to the next fuse. Anything in the circuit could be the problem, switch, wiring, relay, device ( electric motor ) etc. Disconnect circuit components 1 @ a time till the test light bulb shuts off, when it does you have isolated the problem component. 4) If you pull all the fuses & the test light bulb fails to shut off your next step is to: remove 1 wire @ a time from the alligator clip of the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT & check the test light bulb after you remove each wire. If & / or when the test light bulb shuts off you have found the problem, trace the wire to it's source, your faulty component. If the test light bulb is still on after all the fuses have been pulled & all the wires @ the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT alligator clip have been removed ( ALL THAT REMAINS CONNECTED TO THE 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT ALLIGATOR CLIP IS THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE ) you have a component with a direct connection to the battery that is @ fault ie. IGNITION SWITCH, ALTERNATOR, STARTER, ENGINE ECU, RELAY, etc. How do you find the problem, start disconnecting things 1 @ a time till the test light bulb shuts off. HOPE THIS HELPS & GOOD LUCK !!!!!!! PS: DO NOT USE A CONTINUITY TESTER TO PERFORM THIS PROCEDURE. They look like a 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT but are not designed to perform this type of test. A DVOM with a LOW SCALE 12 / 20 VOLT DC VOLTAGE setting could be used in place of the 12 VOLT TEST LIGHT by connecting the DVOM negative ( BLACK ) lead to the wires / cables removed from the battery negative post & connecting the DVOM positive ( RED ) lead to the battery negative post. Using a DVOM can get confusing due to varying voltage readings from circuit to circuit so I will stop here. Excellent advice. Today's release is tomorrows gift to another fisherman.
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